This invention relates to organotellurium compounds and is particularly directed to certain tetra(organyl) tellurium (IV) compounds, especially tetraalkyl tellurium (IV) compounds and tetraalkenyl tellurium (IV) compounds (hereinafter collectively referred to as tetraorganyl tellurium) such as tetramethyl tellurium (IV), tetra(trimethylsilylmethyl) tellurium (IV), and tetravinyl tellurium (IV) (hereinafter respectively referred to as tetramethyl tellurium,tetra(trimethylsilylmethyl) tellurium and tetravinyl tellurium) and to a process for the preparation of the above compounds.
In spite of the malodorous nature, light sensitivity and toxicity associated with organotellurium compounds, these compounds have a variety of useful applications in organic synthesis, polymers, biochemistry and semiconductor film growth, particularly as source compounds for the metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) of mercury cadmium telluride semiconductor films.
Diorganyl tellurium compounds have been obtained by reducing TeCl.sub.4 or diorqanyl tellurium dihalides with Grignard reagents or organolithium reagents. The amount of alkylating reagents used was sufficient to form tetraorganyl tellurium intermediates which instantaneously decomposed by reductive elimination to yield the diorganyl tellurium compounds. Tetraaryl tellurium (IV) compounds have previously been prepared; however, other tetraorganyl tellurium compounds, specifically tetraalkyl tellurium compounds and tetraalkenyl tellurium compounds such as tetramethyl tellurium [(CH.sub.3).sub.4 Te], tetra(trimethylsilylmethyl) tellurium [((CH.sub.3).sub.3 SiCH.sub.2).sub.4 Te], and tetravinyl tellurium, [(CH.sub.2 .dbd.CH).sub.4 Te]were believed to be too unstable to isolate and had prior to the present invention never been isolated or characterized. Thus for example, while tetramethyl tellurium has been prepared in solution as an intermediate, it had never been isolated.
One object of the invention is the provision of a class of highly reactive organotellurium compounds.
Another object of the invention is to prepare and isolate certain tetraorganyl tellurium compounds.
A still further object of the invention is the preparation and isolation of tetramethyl tellurium, tetra(trimethylsilylmethyl) tellurium and tetravinyl tellurium.
Yet another object of the invention is the provision of procedure for the preparation of the above organotellurium compounds.